Banana Cream Pie – Recipes From A Pantry

Banana Cream Pie is a classic dessert that’s equally perfect for bringing potlucks, serving on special occasions, or for your holiday table. You’ll love how surprisingly easy it is to make this delicious banana cream pie recipe from scratch.

Suitable for vegetarian diets. Post includes Weight Watchers points.

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When it comes to dessert, pie is about as classic as it gets and banana cream pie is always a favorite. It’s been regularly appearing in cookbooks since the 1900s, probably because it’s so simple to make – even when made entirely from scratch. 

Like my Bourbon Buttermilk Pie, this custardy homemade banana cream pie recipe can be made any time, but it makes an especially lovely addition to your Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas holiday table. It’s also perfect for taking to a potluck and other gatherings. Banana Cream Pie is so good; I’d even be willing to stick a candle in it and serve it for my birthday! 

Easy Banana Cream Pie

It all starts with an easy homemade flaky crust followed by a layer of custard and is finished with a topping of creamy whipped cream. Folks, trust me when I say that this Banana Cream Pie recipe is layer upon layer of deliciousness!

Why Make This Recipe

• Easy – Even when made entirely from scratch, this recipe is easy to put together.  
• Make Ahead – If you don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen, you can easily make this pie in advance. See all our prep ahead tips below.
• Festive – Perfect for serving at your holiday table or making it anytime.  

Ingredient Notes

• Homemade Pie Crust Dough – Prepare your favorite homemade crust recipe or purchase premade dough. 
• Milk and Cream – Important to the structure of the custard, I recommend whole milk and heavy cream. You can use 2% milk and half and half, but your custard may not be as thick and creamy. 
• Sugar – Use regular white sugar. Vanilla sugar would also be a flavorful addition.
• Egg Yolks – Use large eggs and separate the yolks and whites. You can reserve the egg whites for use in other recipes. 
• Cornstarch – For a creamier custard, reduce the corn starch by a tablespoon or so.
• Vanilla Extract – You can also use vanilla bean paste if you like the look of the flecks of vanilla throughout the custard.
• Butter – You can use either salted or unsalted butter. 
• Bananas – The star of this dish! Use bananas that are ripe but not overly mushy.
• Whipped Cream – Whip heavy whipping cream or purchase premade whipped cream or whipped topping.
• White Chocolate Shavings – This optional topping adds another layer of decadence.

Ready to make this banana pie? Gather your ingredients and I will show you…

How To Make Banana Cream Pie

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

1. Prepare the crust and roll it to fit a 9-inch pie pan.
2. Line the crust with foil and fill with pie weights, dry beans or rice, then bake for 15 minutes.
3. While the crust bakes, prepare the custard by bringing milk, cream and sugar to a simmer.
4. Combine egg yolks and cornstarch in a heatproof bowl, then slowly add some of the warm milk mixture to temper the egg mixture. 
5. When the custard thickens, remove from heat, mix in vanilla and butter, then cover with plastic wrap and allow it to cool in the fridge for 30 minutes.
6. Slice 2 bananas and place them on the baked crust followed by the custard mixture before refrigerating for at least 4 hours.
7. Top with whipped cream, sliced bananas, and white chocolate shavings before serving. 

Banana and custard come together to make one deliciously layered dessert….

Pro Tips 

• You can use dry beans or rice instead of pie weights when baking your crust.
• Save yourself some time and purchase a premade pie crust dough.
• To prevent lumps, whisk the custard filling constantly.
• Reduce the amount of cornstarch for a creamier filling. 
• For even more banana flavor, add a bit of banana extract or banana liqueur to the custard filling. 
• Make the pie in advance and add the whipped cream and sliced bananas just before serving. 

Delicious Variations

• Use A Graham Cracker Crust – A graham cracker or cookie crust (either homemade or store-bought) is a tasty change to the original pie crust.
• Add Cinnamon – For a unique burst of flavor and warmth, sprinkle a bit of cinnamon over the bananas before layering on the custard.

Prep And Storage

• Prep Ahead – This pie is perfect for prepping ahead, and you need to keep in mind that the custard will need at least 4 hours to set. I like to bake the crust in the evening, then prepare the custard in the morning, and top with bananas and whipped cream just before serving. You can make this pie 2-3 days in advance. 
• Store – Leftovers should be stored in the fridge and covered with a cake dish cover or loosely tent with foil. If the bananas begin to turn brown, the pie will still be tasty. 
• Freeze – Follow the handy tips below for how to freeze these;
  • Bake the crust and fill it with a layer of bananas and custard.
  • Cool completely in the fridge.
  • Flash freeze, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap and foil.
  • Freeze for up to 3 months.
  • Thaw in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
  • Top with fresh whipped cream and bananas before serving. 

FAQs

How Do You Keep The Bananas From Turning Brown?

The bananas under the custard will be well protected and shouldn’t turn brown. The bananas on top are susceptible to browning the longer this pie sits. You can combat this in two different ways.

If you must slice the bananas in advance, brush them with a bit of citrus juice (lemon, orange, or pineapple) to slow down the browning. This isn’t foolproof, and the juice can alter the taste of the dish. Whenever possible, wait until the very last moment to slice the bananas used for the topping.

Do I Need To Refrigerate Banana Cream Pie?

Yes. Banana cream pie should be refrigerated due to the high dairy content. Cover it with a cake dish lid or cover loosely with foil. If you wrap it tightly, condensation may form on the surface.

More Dessert Recipes You May Like

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Banana Cream Pie

A beloved dessert classic that is perfect for all occasions.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Cooling Time4 hrs

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8

Calories: 443kcal

Instructions

• Roll dough on a lightly floured surface, transfer to a 9-inch pie dish, trim the crust to ½ inch larger than the dish, flute the edge, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

• Preheat the oven to 425F / 218C.

• Line pie crust with a foil (covering the edges so they don’t burn), fill the pan with pie weights or dry beans and bake for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned, Then remove the foil and the weights and bake for a further 3-4 minutes. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

• Combine milk, heavy cream, and sugar in a saucepan. Cook on medium heat, whisking until smooth and the sugar has dissolved. Cook until it begins to gently simmer then turn heat to low and let it simmer for another minute.

• Combine egg yolks and cornstarch in a heatproof bowl, then slowly stream about ¾ cup of the warm milk mixture into the eggs.

• Very, very, slowly, pour the egg mixture into the saucepan, making sure to whisk continuously. Keep whisking and cook for a few minutes more until thickened and bubbly.

• Remove the pan from heat and add butter and vanilla extract. Then place plastic wrap onto the surface of the custard to avoid any skin forming and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

• Slice two of the bananas and spread them out over the bottom of the pie crust. Then pour the cooled custard on top. Cover the assembled pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours up, to overnight.

• When ready to serve, spread (or pipe) on whipped cream, slice the remaining bananas, place on top, and add white chocolate curls (if desired).

Notes

• You can use dry beans instead of pie weights when baking your crust.
• Save yourself some time and purchase a premade pie crust dough.
• To prevent lumps, whisk the custard filling constantly.
• Reduce the amount of cornstarch for a creamier filling. 
• For even more banana flavor, add a bit of banana extract or banana liqueur to the custard filling. 
• Make the pie in advance and add the whipped cream and sliced bananas just before serving. 
• Storage – cover pie with plastic wrap and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 443kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 218mg | Potassium: 347mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 544IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 1mg